Something Magical Happened
by PrincessPeace15
Summary: Origins and outcomes... reimagined. We take a look into the bizarre, yet positive twist within the life of Rachael, the main character... who is a human. What if the first security guard was her classmate? What if merely sticking with him as he did his job... would bring more than the mythical deadliness that only she, Mike, and her friend Emily know of? Emily is Zombiegirl925!
1. Chapter 1

"…I have to be seeing things," I muttered under my breath, simply staring at the television. The story had made me more alert than anyone should ever be when the sun is only rising.

The headline read "New Pizzeria Opening in Niles." The video that was playing showed the enthusiastic-looking construction that had begun just a couple of fortnights before. It was where a police station used to be… a place that had been abandoned since I was born. They had torn it down, and now… they were building this.

A Freddy Fazbear's Pizzeria.

"This fun restaurant is foreseen to be a popular destination among your little ones," the reporter announced. "It's expected to open today!"

I had awoken to the news on the 1st of December.

I, myself… actually had mixed feelings. I simply nipped at my breakfast, trying to disguise the brewery of shock, happiness, and worry within me.

Oh, what everyone had yet to know.

You see… As kids in junior high, my friend Emily and I were beckoned into a dark corner after school one day by a classmate named Mike. He first openly admitted that he saw the both of us as the only girls who were worthy of a great boyfriend.

Then, he told us the lore of the very first Freddy Fazbear's Pizza. He told us of the animatronics that came out and tried to stuff any night wanderers into a Freddy Fazbear suit. He showed us pictures of each and every one of them… even the seldom-encountered Golden Freddy. He had our curiosity alight.

But then, he told us that we couldn't tell ANYONE what he had told us… unless he knew and trusted them as well. That never happened. Somehow, he saw me and Emily as the only brains worthy of holding this dear treasure of a tale. Sometimes, I'd sit back and wonder if he had actually fed us lies that were part of a cruel prank.

But then had come the news story out of that small city that was somewhere way south of where we lived… about the insane parents that claimed that their daughter was killed from the bite of an animatronic fox. It was never confirmed whether it was true or not, but those without imaginations, which turned out to be the vast majority of the population, blamed it on the parents' medical insanity.

Here I was on this morning… a sophomore in high school… suffering from medically extreme curiosity.

During lunch on that day, I beckoned Emily out to the hallway, away from our oblivious acquaintances.

Fortunately, I could see the unusual enthusiasm that danced in her eyes.

"…Please don't tell me you don't know about it," I said desperately.

"The pizzeria," Emily nodded. "Trust me. I'm just as excited as you are."

I was 8 days from the age of 16, yet people said I looked about 21. I was just a bit taller than most people, although I didn't see it. I had long, brown hair and black eyeglasses.

Emily was the youngest in our group of friends, and on this day, she was 5 months and 13 days from the age of 16. She had blonde hair that went down to her shoulders. She was just as much of a nerd as I was, and I had great gratefulness that she had chosen me as a friend.

But I know what you're probably wondering. Why were we both so excited that this place that was fabled to be deadly was so close to us now? Why did we want to go there?

It was deadly in a thrilling way. In… a fun and exciting way. According to what Mike had told us, there was a low chance of actually dying if we played our cards right and used our wits.

As I walked out of the office-like doors from the school that day, my arm was grabbed, and I was pulled to the brick wall by said door. These buses were useless to me, so I was in no rush.

Especially when I looked over and saw that it was Mike who was now staring me in the eyes with his crystal blue ones. He was just a bit taller than me and had pure red hair. We didn't talk that often, but we had a couple of classes together. One of those was P.E., where we were put in a team together that same day. We enjoyed each other's company, but didn't really have any chemistry. Or so I thought…

"Hey," he whispered. "You going to the pizzeria tonight? Don't tell me you aren't!"

Well… I hadn't planned on it… but my heart definitely had.

How would I pull it off, though? Would I have to sneak out and go against my guidelines as an innocent child?

I had to try something.

"I mean…" I replied. "I can try. What time?"

"They close their doors at around 10 o' clock each night," Mike replied. "But to be seen as customers, you and Emily should probably get there around 9."

"Seen as customers?" I asked.

"Yeah," Mike nodded. "…Oh, see, I got hired as the nightly security guard!"

"You WHAT?!" I laughed.

"Yep," Mike smiled. "Couldn't pass it up. I already spoke with Emily during World Studies. She's down with it. So… tonight. Do you think you can make it?"

"I can try," I shrugged worriedly. "I'll have to say that you invited me and Emily to a sleepover and that's where we're meeting up."

"That sounds perfect," said Mike, getting out a slice of paper and scribbling his address on it. "After we get out of there alive, I was thinking we could actually… hang out at my house until around 8:30."

"Cool!" I waved, walking toward the red car that my mother and I were currently using. I mean, it was technically ours, but it WAS my sister-in-law's. We could never have a car to ourselves without it overheating within the first year.

"Hey, Mom?" I asked as I got in. "A classmate of mine's invited me to a sleepover."

"Oh, cool!" said Mom. "When is it?"

"…Tonight," I said worriedly. "He wants Emily and I to meet him by the new pizzeria at 9… well, because he invited her as well."

Against my initial thoughts, she replied "Sure! That's not too far! When do you want me to pick you up?"

"His house," I nodded, handing her the slip of paper which Mike had written his address on. "Around 8:30am."

And so, I sat in my room about half an hour before I had to leave, trying to think of what I could pack for a night filled with uncertainty. A night filled with panicked button-punching, hiding, and the avoidance of around-the-corner death. This would most certainly be the closest I had ever stared death in the face.

When was I ever one to do something like this?, I began to ask myself. Everything I did was so harmless, and BOOM! Sudden death staring into my soul, or so I envisioned.

…Now, I guess. Now, I was someone to do something like this.

* * *

><p><strong>Author's note: Well… that's that. This will be updated every Sunday. If you know me, you know I update every fanfiction on a <strong>_**strict **_**weekly basis. Only once have I gone against this since it went into place, and that case was the one of the fanfiction that's still on an indefinite hiatus. But that's that sector of my career! What do you think of this fanfic so far? Reviews would be HIGHLY appreciated! Please and thank you! :)**


	2. Chapter 2

The car pulled up to the front of Freddy Fazbear's Pizza, where Mike and Emily were anxiously staring at me, awaiting me.

I then reminded myself that I was still just a few streets away from home. That would be useful if the risk of death actually got out of hand. Or would it?

I got out, holding an old backpack of mine. It would have been perfect for the daily school commute, even though I had bought it before the start of middle school… but my dog, Ellie, had chewed a huge hole in the back of it, so the back pocket was completely useless. Still, the main compartment held a few random things.

There was an empty notebook and a mechanical pencil, so that I could document this experience. There was no doubt that Mike would be in charge of the cameras, so I'd have time to write. There was NO way I was going to let this night go forgotten whatsoever.

There were also spare clothes, some Poptarts… and a butcher's knife. I figured a last-ditch effort to snap some of the wires within a threatening animatronic could make a world of a difference.

"Hello!" I said, walking up to Mike and Emily,

"Hi," said Emily. "I am both scared and excited at the same time."

"Me too," said Mike, equipping himself with a hat that labeled him as the security guard. "…But mostly excited, even though I realize that both of your lives are in my hands."

"We'll probably help out," said Emily.

"You can have each of us go to one of the doors," I suggested. "Just tell us when to close them."

"…Alright," said Mike, turning to face the building as the last customer walked out. "Just three more hours, and death could literally walk through the door. You guys ready?"

"Sure!" Emily and I said together.

Until midnight, the animatronics were still in a sane state. We explored the pizzeria and found… exactly what we had expected. It looked to be your standard entertainment center/restaurant.

It was 11:30 when we found the show stage. When we opened the door, Mike and I gasped, and Emily just went "Woah."

The things that were going to come to kill us in just 30 more minutes were here… just standing there, not making a single movement. Their mouths were stuck open, and their eyes appeared to simply be holes in the darkness.

Oh, the life that'd come to them really soon.

By the time we finally found Mike's new office, it was 11:59. We just couldn't figure out where it was until then. At first, we shrugged and were like "Oh, we have time." At around 11:50, we were officially panicking, literally running for our lives from forces that were chasing us… yet not even there yet.

By the time midnight struck on Mike's watch, Emily was positioned by the west door, I was positioned by the east door, and Mike was perched upon a wooden stool with a touchscreen camera in his hands. The fear was evident in their eyes, especially Mike's. Our lives really were in his hands, weren't they? His watch beeped quietly, but it felt like an ominous siren in the night. Breaking the silence. Summoning the time… of demise.

At that, the phone on the desk rang, giving me and Mike jolts of shock. It was just the phone.

"The phone's already set to speakerphone," said Mike. "You guys ready?"

All Emily and I could do was nod.

Then, a voice spoke from the phone.

"Hello? Hello? Uh… I wanted to record a message for you… to help you get settled down on your first night. Um… I actually worked in that office before you. I'm finishing up my last week now, as a matter of fact, so… I know it can be a bit overwhelming, but I'm here to tell you that there's nothing to worry about. You'll be fine, so let's just focus on getting you through your first night, okay? Uh, let's see… First, there's an introductory greeting from the company that I'm supposed to read. I-It's kinda a legal thing, you know. Uh, 'Welcome to Freddy Fazbear's Pizza, a magical place for kids and grown-ups alike, and where fantasy and fun come to life!"

"Yeah," said Mike. "…Totally."

"'Fazbear Entertainment," the voice from the phone continued. "is not responsible for damage to property or person.'"

We all spoke over the next few sentences or so that the voice said.

"Oh, that's reassuring," said Mike. "…Guys… I never saw that part in the ad."

"Oh," Emily worried.

"Uh…" I said. "…Well, now you know! Great… Now we can't sue this place and get rich."

Then we listened to the phone guy again.

"Blah blah blah," he said. "Now, that might sound bad, I know, but there's really nothing to worry about! Uh, the animatronic characters here do get a bit quirky at night, but do I blame them? No! If I were forced to sing those same stupid songs for 20 years, and I never got a bath… I'd probably be a bit irritable at night, too. So remember: These characters hold a special place in the hearts of children, and you need to show them a little respect. Alright? Okay. So just be aware. The characters do tend to wander a little bit. Uh, they have some kind of free-roaming mode…"

"How does that even _work_?!" asked Mike.

"...They used to be able to walk around during the day, too!" the phone voice continued. "But then there was the Bite of '87. Yeah… It's amazing that the human body can live without the frontal lobe. Now, concerning your safety… The only real risk to you, if any, is the fact that these characters… Uh, if they happen to see you after hours, they probably won't recognize you as a person. They'll probably most likely see you as an endoskeleton without its costume on. Now, since that's against the rules here at Freddy Fazbear's Pizza, they'll probably try to… forcefully stuff you inside a Freddy Fazbear suit. Um… Now, that wouldn't be so bad… if the suits themselves weren't filled with crossbeams, wires, and animatronic devices, especially around the facial area, so you could imagine that having your head forcefully stuffed inside one of those could cause a bit of… discomfort."

"Didn't I tell you?" said Mike. "It's all real!"

"Exactly as you told us!" said Emily. I could tell that even as someone who put herself through the dread of horror video games, fear was definitely brewing within her.

"They don't tell you these things when you sign up," said the phone guy. "…But hey, first night should be a breeze. I'll chat with you tomorrow. Uh… check those cameras, and remember to close the doors only if absolutely necessary. Alright, goodnight!"

The phone clicked. We were left once more with the deceiving silence.

* * *

><p><strong>Author's note: Don't necessarily quote me on the phone guy's dialogue. I tried to catch every word of what he said through Markiplier's first video of Five Nights at Freddy's, and I had the other characters speak whenever I couldn't understand what he was saying, and I edited a few minor details… but it's the basic idea, and most of the words are accurate. Review pwease? I'd really appreciate it!<strong>


	3. Chapter 3: Night 1

…Actually, nothing truly happened until around 2am. The first 60 minutes of this experience were blood-chilling ones, freezing us all to our spots. Mike somehow had the power to breeze through each and every camera view like they were pages of a picture book. A demented, yet life-saving picture book.

Around 1am, this fear was beginning to make way for fatigue… at least for Emily and me. I woke up at least 5 times within 10 minutes, realizing that my eyes had closed in the first place. Emily was going through the exact same thing (she was like the human version of a puppy dozing off in her spot). The fear had the effect of an electricity-rigged coffee for Mike, though. His eyelids barely ever moved, yet somehow, he noticed that we, on the other hand, were fighting fatigue.

"You guys sleep," he said, finally getting a calmer complexion. "Your lives are in my hands, and nothing's happened for two hours."

"Don't jinx it," I yawned.

"Are you sure?" asked Emily.

"I'll wake you guys up when something happens," Mike reassured us.

And so, we took the opportunity, grateful for its existence.

I had gotten a great amount of sleep by the time Mike shouted something… which turned out to be just an hour later. 2am, I saw on the camera's clock. We were almost halfway through the night. Whoopee.

Mike had shouted "Bonnie's gone!"

That had Emily and I more alert than we were even before this all started. Crap just got real. We were here, and the animatronics were actually out for us at last.

"What do you mean he's gone?!" asked Emily.

"He's not on the show stage," said Mike. "Calm down… it's only Night 1. We'll catch him and have the door closed in a heartbeat."

He then turned back to the camera.

"Oh, he's backstage."

Just half an hour later, it was 3 in the morning, and Mike panicked again.

"The cameras are out," he squeaked. "…Aaaand they're back. Well, Chica's gone, too…"

In short, Mike was the quieter, more horrified edition of a sports announcer. We knew every movement those animatronics made when it happened. Emily and I just sat there, staring from him to each other to outside of the doors, when in reality, our ears were just as engaged as our reflexes. We occasionally tapped the light buttons, so scared that we thought something would materialize from within the light ray.

Chica's in the dining hall. Bonnie's not backstage anymore. The cameras are out again. Chica's by the restrooms. Bonnie's in the west hall. Bonnie's in the west hall _corner_. Wait…

I looked up and saw that Mike was likely freaking out. He was definitely in one of those mindsets where split-second decisions were completely biased. This was evident in the next thing he said.

"…Guys," he shook. "Close the doors."

"Why?!" asked Emily. "That'll suck power!"

"It's almost 6am," Mike said. "Just do it!"

So we did. Both of the buttons clicked at the same time, and both of the doors slammed at the same time.

I began "But how much power-"

Then, Emily flicked on her hall light. Faint knocking could be heard, and a shadow could be seen. Mike was psychic. Realizing this, he began to laugh.

"Wow, am I really _that _on point? This week is gonna be great! Check the lights."

We both checked our lights and saw that there was nothing but the creeping darkness. The doors were raised.

And at that moment, Mike's watch beeped. I was confused as to why it did that, but I instantly knew it when Mike's face lit up with joy.

"It's 6am!" he laughed maniacally. "The animatronics are in daytime mode! We're free to go!"

At that, we were all in a cheering frenzy. Oh my goodness… this night… My stomach had lurched with each movement the animatronics had made according to Mike. With each shake his voice suffered, I felt my blood become more and more frozen. I had never felt so vulnerable and cold in my entire life.

And now, it was over.

We put on our coats and excitedly walked out.

Hanging out at Mike's place for two hours was warm and cuddly compared to the experience from next door. It almost seemed like some sort of wicked and cruel coincidence that he lived so close… but hey, at this point, I wasn't complaining.

But then, Mike expressed his plans as to how we were apparently going to join him for the rest of the week… or try to, anyway.

"Guys," he smiled. "I'm going to have my mom call your moms, alright? Sleepovers all week!"

Emily and I both "Woo!"ed at that.

That brings me to my next point. Of course I wanted to go back. Sure, I knew that death could very well have been ready to reach out from the darkness and nab me, all within three seconds… but at the same time… I had never felt so alive. It wasn't until now that I realized that I NEEDED something like this. Something that would test my focus on my surroundings. The ultimate test of my reflexes. Most importantly… the trust I had in my friends, one who I had just started considering a friend.

I was grateful for him. I really was… and his voice that commanded over the noise of life like a mighty dictator… his red hair, which kinda curled around his ears and embraced his jewel-blue eyes…

Wait, what?


	4. Chapter 4: Night 2

Surprisingly enough, we heard the news that it was alright for a 5-day sleepover to take place. Our mothers came over with bags for our things, and because of their surprising accuracy, we were good to go for the week. Seeing as Mike had 2 gaming-compatible PCs, one would have to struggle to come across boredom.

Man, was the dude… so much like that prince in my imagination. He took gaming to heart, and… Oh, gosh, where do I begin?

But that's not the point, is it? We managed to trudge over to the pizzeria at around 11:30 the next night. When we all marched to our places, it almost felt like we hadn't even done this for a full six hours the previous night.

The next 6, however, were certainly going to scar our poor little hearts.

Midnight rung against the same silence. Would that death call be heeded?

The phone rang, and shortly after, the message clicked on.

"Hello?" said the same reassuring voice. "Well, if you're hearing this, you made it to day 2! Congrats! Uh, I won't talk quite as long this time since Freddy and his friends tend to become more active as the week progresses."

One of them had managed to show up at the door last night. What did that mean? Were two of them going to make the appointment?

"Uh, you might need to peek at those cameras while I talk."

Mike flipped up the camera, and this is what came out of his mouth… and just seconds into the work night, too.

"On it, and HOLY JESUS, BONNIE'S GONE!"

Startled much? So were we. Those four words were the equivalent of "You have three seconds to live."

"Uh, interestingly enough," the phone guy continued. "Freddy himself doesn't come offstage very often. I heard that he becomes more active in the dark, though, so… Another reason not to run out of power, right? Uh, I also want to emphasize the importance of using your door lights. There are blind spots in your camera view, and the blind spots happen to be right outside your door, so if you can't find something…"

"EEP!" cried Mike. "…E-Emily? Keep checking the door light, would ya?"

"On it," said Emily, chill clear in her voice. She tapped the light button constantly. Each and every flicker only showed the deathly-colored wall outside.

"Alright," said Mike. "Stop, it's sucking the power."

"Be sure to check the door lights," said the phone guy. "Uh, you might only have a few seconds to react. Er… not that you would be in any danger, of course. I'm not implying that! Also… check on the curtain in Pirate Cove from time to time. The character in there seems to be unique. He becomes more active when the cameras remain off him for long periods of time."

"EMILY!" shouted Mike. "CHECK THE FREAKING DOOR! NOW!"

Before I could blink, Emily had patted the light button once more.

Everything else seemed to freeze. There, standing against the cheaply casted light, was one of the faces of death. One of the bodies of death. His ears were perked up, almost seeming happy to lay eyes on his prey. He stared as us joyfully. That red bow tie was no longer festive at all.

Bonnie was at the door.

We shrieked, Emily slapped the door button into the wall, and Mike just about fell off of his stool. The door was closed, and we were safe, but the paranoia made itself just at home. What if the steel of the door were just to disintegrate?

It almost felt as if Bonnie was clawing at the door impatiently. It felt as if he was clawing at my stomach.

"I don't know," said the phone guy. "Anyway, I'm sure you have everything under control. Talk to you soon!"

I looked over at Emily, fully expecting her face to be covered in tears. It was not, thankfully. In fact, she looked… amused?

We just sat still for about 20 more minutes. Not much on our minds. Just the fact that about 6 inches of steel stood between us and death by robot.

"…It's been a little while," said Mike. "Emily, try opening the door."

"Wait, why would you do that?" I tried to interrupt.

Emily had already raised the door.

That face still haunted us. Bonnie's foot moved a little closer to the interior of the room. We shrieked again, and Emily high-fived the door button again.

"USE THE LIGHT NEXT TIME!" I screeched hysterically, as if on a roller coaster about to take a vertical dive.

"Calm down," Emily sighed. "We just have to sit here and wait for that _thing _to go away."

"We're at 90% power," said Mike. "And that number's sinking fast!"

"How about now?" I asked, almost exhausted. "Is he gone?"

So against my wishes, Emily went and clicked the door button again, immediately clicking it one more time, for Bonnie _still _eyed us hungrily.

"Emily!" I cried. Who knew that fear would drive me to be harsh to one of my best friends?

"It actually conserves power!" said Emily. "Wouldn't you think that having both the door closed and the light on at any given moment would take more power than a momentarily opened door with light?"

"That's true," I nodded. "But… death. DEATH awaits us. There's my argument."

"Good thinking, Emily," said Mike, with a smile that took on the chill in the air with an iron blade.

And so, we sat for another 40 minutes. I decided to tap my side's light button to a slow rhythm. The dark oblivion at the end of the hallway made me feel sick. These things had to be pretty fast.

"Well, one hour has passed," said Mike, sounding utterly exhausted of enthusiasm. "Is Bonnie gone?"

My stomach clenched as Emily tapped the door button again. She was already beginning to shake a bit.

Bonnie was STILL. THERE. Just waiting for his moment.

Emily shut his opportunity down with the clomp of a door.

My eyes were drawn to Mike… and for a different reason. Not curiosity… but the bitterness of concern. They're two different things.

He rocked a bit in his seat. His eyes had bags under them, and at what appeared to be nothing to Emily and I, he jumped a couple of times.

"You okay, Mike?" asked Emily.

"Wha?" Mike replied, regaining his composure. "Y-Yeah. Fine. Check the door again."

Emily simply clicked the door button twice. The freaking bunny remained. With each and every opening, I swear I felt like he could have been closer and ready to leap in.

So we sat, actually trying to have a pleasant conversation. It lightened the mood… and dusted some of the fear from my heart.

Neither of them noticed it, but I could have sworn I began to hear something resembling a music box. It echoed down the halls in ripples. T-That HAD to be Bonnie. Maybe all of these guys had music boxes embedded within them.

Please let that be Bonnie…

"One more time," said Mike.

Emily tapped the button and was about to tap it again when… nothing. Just the papers on the bulletin board. Yep, these guys were fast. He was there, and now he wasn't.

"Woo!" said Mike. "He's gone! And it's already 2am, and we have… 61% power… and WHY ARE THE CAMERAS OUT?!"

Death. That spelled death to me. There was suddenly nothing we could do. No defense. Soon, everything would start corrupting…

"Okay, they're back," said Mike.

Everything was… fine?

We talked calmly for another hour. I was actually astonished that everyone else was able to do that. Death waited behind us, and we went on and on about something funny that someone in Russia had said earlier that day.

Until around the middle of the third hour. Emily had actually leaned on the light button by accident, and through the incident, I learned that he was back. Back to stare us down again.

"EMILY!" I cried. "The door!"

She looked around, screamed, and closed the door. Simple as that.

This time, Mike was able to inquire about it and see the hallway empty on the first try. It was certainly the aftermath of a close call, though.

An hour later, the same series of events happened again. Bonnie appeared, Emily closed the door, Emily opened the door 10 minutes later, and Bonnie was gone. Each and every time that social butterfly of a bunny appeared, I felt death try to grasp onto me, only for its wrist to be snapped in two by a door.

A while later, this is what Mike had to let us know.

"Oh. So this is Foxy? He's peeking his little head out of the curtain. He must be shy."

So nonchalant. Go, us!

As I saw Mike's watch indicate that the 5th hour had stricken, Emily closed the door again. I hadn't caught it at first, but then, Emily said "Every time feels close, doesn't it?" Bonnie was there again, and he was gone the very next time Emily opened the door.

Whether it was a bout of fear-driven insanity using reverse psychology on me or not, I said "Hey, guys! We got this!"

"No we don't," said Mike.

I froze again. The entirety of me chilled as I saw that tears were beginning to fall down his face. His breath shook.

"It's only 5am," he panicked. "And we're down to 2% power. I've failed you guys. We're gonna die. I'm so sorry, I should never have brought you into this mess, and… I-I never should have considered it in the first place!"

At that… everything went dark. Anything that was colored was now shrouded in blackness.

We all proceeded to quietly scoot under a shelf that was somehow at the back of a room.

I had met Emily through my very first extra-curricular activity, which was when our middle school journey had just begun. I had met Mike our freshman year of high school… and as much as I wanted us to become friends, we never talked! Now look at us. I had pictured three separate deathbeds, at three separate places, on three separate days. But here we were, facing the unknowns of death entirely too early… together.

As we all shook in fear, I felt what I knew to be Mike's hand… snap onto the top of mine? Yes, indeed. It was a nice last-minute goodbye embrace… Something I had never experienced before. It was heartwarming. I almost wanted to hug the guy… but according to the lore, one who had to subdue to the wrath of Freddy Fazbear had the best chances if he were to stay completely still. Not great chances, but promising nevertheless.

Then, the eyes. They were light bulbs that flickered in through the door that Bonnie seemed to love so much, and they lit up the contours of the face we knew to be Freddy's. Greetings, Freddy. It's wonderful to finally meet the supposed leader of the gang… and in this fashion, too.

His music box played, like the organ at a wedding. _Would _I take death as my lawfully-wedded husband?

Did… I have a choice?

Then, he went silent, and everything went _absolutely _dark. No contours. No light. No hope.

I heard soft, robotized footsteps against the checkered linoleum.

Then, Emily shrieked, and I heard nothing more than a thud and the resulting thuds of her body.

So much for standing still anymore. Mike and I proceeded to shriek, backing into the opposite corner. He was my shield for the moment. Even if not, he was certainly next.

Oh, he was.

This time, however, I saw it happen. A bear paw simply glided through the air, whopped Mike's head, and knocked him unconscious.

I tried to shield my head with my hands, sobbing violently. Maybe I could save myself?

Or was this the end?

But then, I saw light.

…No, seriously, there was suddenly a faint light floating between myself and Freddy.

And I was still conscious.

Then, his voice. His… voice? What?

"I mean no harm," it said.

I looked up at his face. It was no longer masked with death. Freddy's smile was no longer longing and sadistic… It was there, meant to be warming and reassuring. So were his eyes.

So Mike was actually wrong about something. Freddy was welcoming me _without _replacing my head.

I had to find out what was going on.

"Do not be afraid, my dear," Freddy continued, delicately taking my hand. "I've-"

Mike's watch was perfectly conscious, unlike its wearer. It beeped twice. The sixth hour had rung. Just a couple of minutes earlier, and this night would have been like the last. Emily, Mike, and I would have walked out without them having headaches.

Now, I had something new to think about as I slept. I almost kinda liked it.

As with all 6ams, the animatronics switched to Daytime Kiddy Mode, as I like to call it.

Freddy instantly stood up, dropping my hand. I almost felt bad for him. The poor thing, standing there like a soldier of twenty years on the diseased, demented battlefield that was child entertainment.

"I'm really excited to sing for you all today!" he said in a joyful, goofy voice.

He then just walked out… leaving Emily's and Mike's consciences in his wake.

Sooner than I had expected, they awoke, holding their heads in pain. I knew a headache, and they probably had it.

"…We're not dead?" asked Emily.

"No…" I said, bewilderment evident in my voice.

"…Freddy left you alone, didn't he?" asked Mike. "It was almost 6!"

"Better," I said absently. "He knelt down, took my hand, and tried… talking to me."

"What?!" said Emily.

"Let me get this straight," said Mike. "He _didn't _knock you out? He _talked to you_?!"

"Well… yeah."

* * *

><p><strong>Author's note: Again, don't quote me on the phone guy's dialogue. Actually, I have a clear example of the fact that I once didn't know squat about Five Nights at Freddy's. Get this… Before I learned that his name was Foxy, I thought the animatronic behind the curtain was a HIPPO! A freaking hippopotamus! Hilarious. Reviews would be appreciated. Merry Christmas, everyone!<strong>


	5. Chapter 5: Night 3

Within the dismal office, we sat. Awaiting the animatronic purge.

Mike and Emily sat rigidly in their usual spots. Stiff… like robots prepared to perform a karate kick.

I, on the other hand, was both that and curiously peeking out from behind my door. They figured it was the time constraint that had prevented me from being knocked unconscious. Their eyes were sealed shut when Freddy delicately took my hand with the same paw he used to try to snap two heads. Had he tried to say "I mean no harm" to them?! No. He was silent as he batted their heads like baseballs in tee ball tournaments.

The phone rang a few times, then clicked.

"Hello!" said the phone guy. "Hey, you're doing great! Most people don't last this long! I mean… you know, they usually move on to other things by now. I'm not implying that they died. T-That's not what I mean. But anyway, I'd better not take up too much of your time, cause things are getting real tonight. Uh… h-hey, listen, I have an idea! If you happen to get caught, you want to avoid getting stuffed into a Freddy suit. Uh… try playing dead. You know, go limp. Then, there's a chance that… maybe they'll think you're an empty costume…. Then again, if they think you're an empty costume, they might try to stuff a metal skeleton into you. I wonder how that would work. Yeah, never mind, scratch that. It's best just not to get caught. Okay, I'll leave you to it. See you on the flipside!"

Immediately after the phone clicked off… hurried footsteps. They came from Emily's hallway. My heart clenched.

"Uh… Emily?" I shuddered. "A-Are you… the only one who hears those footsteps?"

"Not at all," said Emily, shaking her head. "Mike, I hear footsteps! What going on?"

I watched as Mike quickly flipped through the cameras.

"I don't know, but I hear them too!" he panicked.

They only grew louder… until the night ended sooner than it began. The culprit stepped in, almost on Emily's hand. He wielded an iron blade.

This was definitely Foxy.

As soon as he waved his deathly greeting to us, he went on ahead and carried out his attacks. He took the flat side of his sword and simply used it to whop Emily and Mike upside the head… leaving them out cold, exactly as Freddy had done.

I expected the sword to come flying at me at the same rate. Would the trajectory be miscalculated so that part of me would be sliced open? Who knew?

…The trajectory wasn't set at all. The sword didn't fly at me. It was placed on the ground, its pointy point simply pointing at me.

Foxy knelt down and took my hand in his. Why did I actually see this coming? On second thought, this was the answer to a little experiment that was conducted by the team of scientists within my mind.

I was special in some way. What was it about me that made the animatronics desire to see my eyes lit up rather than replaced with those of a robot?

Then, he spoke. Indeed… Foxy was a pirate.

"I mean no harm, dearest," he told me. "Allow me to introduce meself. I be Foxy the Pirate!"

Only time waited ahead of me. This was my time to dig deeper.

"Greetings," I smiled sheepishly. "I'm Rachael."

"Ah, what a beautiful name fer such a beautiful lass!" Foxy smiled. "What brings ya here with those two peasants?"

"They happen to be my friends," I growled.

"Nevertheless," sighed Foxy. "…Have ya ever met a pirate before myself?"

"No, I haven't," I shrugged.

"Ah," said Foxy. "Here, you're a household name."

_I _was a household name? Sure, I was gifted, but I was never really talked about for it.

"How so?"

"I, at the very least, have known about you since me true pirate days. When I was out on the open sea, lookin' fer treasure an' cherishin' the travels along the way. You were the girl of a legend called 'Fantasy Heart.' You're the girl who refuses to give up imagination. You always have half of your consciousness invested in a world of your own creation, because real life isn't nearly enough to make life worth living. Your heart beats down the barriers of realism and insists on reaching for the stars, believing that others that are thought only to be lore… could ever be real."

"That's… actually quite correct."

It really was. Who could accidentally have written a story about a girl who was exactly like me? The odds were slim.

"I had always dreamt of meetin' you," said Foxy. "I'd always wondered if an animatronic such as meself was something thought only to be a fantasy."

"Well… yes, actually," I smiled. "The average human doesn't believe animatronics that _kill _to be real… let alone those that start a pleasant conversation and actually have a passionate story."

"Well, I hope I've encouraged you that anything be possible."

The next five hours or so was spent on a mixture of meeting and pirate songs… the pirate songs coming later. Foxy actually had a really neat voice… it waved like the sea, and could go really deep, like the darkness that lied underwater.

I peeked over at Mike's watch, which was tied patiently around Mike's wrist. 5:58… and I was really starting to warm up to Foxy. He was a friend. A friend… that others know as a wild killer? Huh…

"Before me horrid day shift begins," he said. "I must ask of ye… Will ye stay here with me? It gets awfully lonely here, the others make fun of me…"

And this was where my doubt of this place was rinsed away by the spray of Foxy's warm and fun-loving personality. This was where my beliefs were beginning to fall out of sync with those of my human friends.

But then again… Did I really want to stay behind a curtain, listening to the screaming of little devils minute by minute?

"I wish I could," I said. "But… as much as I try to enhance it with imagination, I _have _a real life that I must attend to."

"Ah," Foxy sighed sadly. "Understandable. Come back every night, would ya? Maybe I can get those two off your tail so that you and I-"

At that, Mike's watch beeped, and Foxy shot up to a stand.

"YO-HO-HO!" he sang before walking off.

I sat cross-legged on the ground, patiently waiting for the humans to wake up.

This place was no longer completely dreadful. Could I really sit patiently and wait for the power to go out before being serenaded by a robot? Or was it selective? Maybe there were certain ones that hated my guts just as much as the next guy's…

We still had two more days in the work week. And I couldn't wait to return for the next.

* * *

><p><strong>Question for the readers: From what you've seen so far… If we were to start attaching shippings at this point, would Mike go well with Rachael or Emily?<strong>


	6. Chapter 6: Night 4

And we were here. Again.

Someone who knew our situation would slap us all across the face and ask us just why we dared setting foot within 5 meters of the place.

Mike? Even yesterday, he admitted that he was just about done. Another week would terrify him. The myth really was a truth filled with darkness and terror, and he had had enough of the looming fear that somewhere, four robots were out for him. Money was the only thing that pushed him through these last couple of nights. Just the $100 or so and the freedom would make Friday morning truly feel like a Friday.

Emily? She was actually torn as to what to think. She had been knocked out by the hands of these things several times… yet the thrill of trying to evade it was unmatched by anything else.

Me? I was prepared to shut the door in their faces because I liked Mike and wanted to get on his side… but the idea of living here and having a quarter of each day to experience what I felt as true friendship warmed my heart. Freddy had tried to express his peace to me. Foxy had always desired to meet me and was the one who even suggested that I stay here and be his friend. What about Bonnie and Chica? What if they hated the idea of a human being friends with one of their comrades? At this point, it was a process of elimination investigation. Maybe one of them would find us and speak with me again?

Mike's watch rang with the essence of midnight, and the phone rang again. The air outside of my door was chilled.

I never would have guessed that a tune of such a cruel fate would play.

"Hello?" the phone guy said. "Hello! Hey, wow! Day 4… I knew you could do it. Uh… hey, listen, I may not be around to send you a message tomorrow."

Except for the finger that flipped through the cameras, Mike went stiff.

"I-It's been a bad night here for me," the phone guy explained. "I'm kinda glad that I recorded my message for you… when I did. Hey, do me a favor. Maybe sometime… uh, you could check inside of those suits… in the back room? I'll try to hold out… until somebody checks. Maybe it won't be so bad. Uh… I-I was wondering what was in all those empty heads back there."

A tune reminiscent of that which Freddy played echoed from within the phone. We all gasped. Oh, no… the phone guy…

"So…"

Then, moaning.

"Oh, no…"

Screeching, then static. The call ended.

"He's… dead?" asked Emily in panic.

"It appears so," I nodded solemnly.

"D-Do you think the same'll happen to us?" asked Mike, suddenly staring at me with eyes that sparkled with fear.

"I-I dunno!" I exclaimed, glancing at the hallway behind me before looking back at him. "Keep your eyes on the camera!"

I had never been so unknowing in ages. I couldn't say "Hey… maybe, if we're quick enough, we can survive this!" Even if we were to get caught… I wasn't sure anymore. Some liked me, and I wasn't sure of two more. Maybe one of them fancied Emily, for all I knew!

It was almost 1am when Emily asked a question. Wow… that was rare.

"What about Foxy?" asked Emily. "He knocked us out. Did he get you?"

"…No," I replied, shaking my solemn head.

Then, Mike and Emily just looked at me, completely bewildered.

"HOW?!" asked Mike.

"What _did _Foxy do?" asked Emily, hoping for Mike to calm down.

"Well…" I recalled. "He introduced himself, then told me that I was in a legend from his days out on the seas-"

"HOW was he-" Mike began.

"Geez, calm DOWN, Mike!" said Emily. "Do they… LIKE you or something?"

"…I think so," I mused.

Mike was so bewildered that the camera was practically immobile. He just… stared at me. Freaked out and bewildered at the same time.

It was around 1:02am. Before making any other move, I tapped the light button on my door.

There stood Chica. Practically getting ready to laugh upon Mike's ignorance. We screamed, and I punched the door button.

"MIKE!" I yelled. "What are you DOING?!"

"Sorry, sorry!" Mike panicked. "…They're all gone."

I tapped the light button. Chica still watched us like hamsters in a cage through the dusty window.

"…There has to be an explanation for that, though!" said Mike, continuing to flip through the cameras. "They obviously… _care _for you, Rachael. What did you _do_?"

"She's probably done nothing!" said Emily. "There's only been one other Freddy Fazbear's pizza, and she's only been to five states in her entire life! Was Arizona one of them?"

"No," I said.

"…H-How is that…" Mike gasped.

He was barely sane for another two hours. Then, the cord in his mind just… snapped. 3am… and his bewilderment finally completely distracted him from the camera.

"…You must be kidding me, Rachael," he said, the insanity clearly rattling his voice. "You have to have done _something _to make them like you!"

"Uh…" Emily murmured. "The camera…"

"I don't know what I did!" I shouted, being pushed just an inch closer to tears. "I only know that Freddy and Foxy like me!"

"Mike!" cried Emily. But just a moment too late.

Out of the darkness that was Emily's door, Bonnie hopped in. We all screeched with fear again.

Bonnie was Freddy on repeat. He used his paw to slap Mike and Emily upside the head, then simply… looked down at me.

Then, he spoke. His voice was just a tad more upbeat.

"Follow me," he said, holding out a hand.

Finally, my key to a clue! I gratefully took his hand and followed him as he took me out the east door and toward the show stage. We both climbed up the prettily-decorated steps and onto it.

"I apologize for being so rash," said Bonnie. "You know that I'm Bonnie, right?"

"Yeah," I nodded. "I feel bad for you because of your name. I thought you were a girl for the longest time as well."

"Oh, that," Bonnie laughed. "Yeah, it's a pain. At least you know my true gender! Chica's the only girl here. Now, there's a few hours before I have to return to a boring day shift… where nobody actually appreciates how great I sing…"

"Aww…" I sighed. "…They're kids. You're an animatronic. What do they know? Anyway… I was hoping I could ask for some answers. See… Freddy and Foxy paid us visits earlier in the week, and they both knocked my human friends out cold before trying to speak with me. Foxy taught me pirate songs! Would… you happen to know anything about that?"

"…If I tell you the reasoning behind all that…" Bonnie mused. "…Can I sing for you?"

"Yeah, sure!" I said absently.

"Great!" Bonnie rejoiced. "It'll be great to have ears attached to a sophisticated mind… rather than millions of heads of little children who will likely grow up to be nothings… Anyway… Foxy's told us about you. He says you're a girl of a legend called 'Fantasy Heart.'"

"Yeah, he told me that!" I nodded.

"Well, it was while we were in the truck that brought us from Arizona to here," Bonnie explained. "We were stopped at a red light, and we saw, through a hole in the semi's trailer,… you. You were in the front passenger seat of a red car! Yeah! Foxy instantly knew it was you, so… we were hoping we'd see you again… and here you are! Can I sing for you now?"

I glanced at the clock on the wall. 4am, and I was doing so well.

"One more thing," I said, holding up a finger. "I know that you, Freddy, and Foxy like me, but… is Chica different? Does she like me?"

"Well… as a friend, yes," said Bonnie. "Now… sit at the table that's nearest to the stage."

In short… I watched and listened as Bonnie sang me a ballad. It was a waltz, but… it was beautiful. His voice was like that of a pop star gone _right_: deep, suave, and confident. I know _I _was charmed for a second.

"Like it?" he asked after he finished.

"Are you sure you sing like that during the day?" I asked. "That was beautiful."

"I do," Bonnie nodded. "But you're right. Kids. What good are they? I only perform for them because I was programmed to… be that way…"

I tried to console him until the hour hand on the clock was solidly on 5. If the poor thing was a human, he would have broken down in tears. Tears, kept hidden for many a year's time.

Well… now that I think about it, it was around 5:55. I managed to make him feel better, and now, we introduced ourselves further with the art of conversation.

Then, he said this and pretty much bought me on the idea of being a companion here.

"You are certainly beautiful for a human," he admitted. "I wish that you could stay here. Be my forever companion and all… but everyone would get worried. But I can still ask of you. You won't have to worry about your safety; we all care for you and cherish your company, especially me. We run during weekdays. Could you… come back every night? Maybe try to become the night guard yourself?"

I was welcome here. Surrounded by these _boys_… all who appreciated my company. For many a year, that had never happened. All of them at my school… they were either shy or utterly uninterested in me. It had distraught me for my entire adolescent and teenage life, and here I was… finally appreciated by someone who had seen my face and still wanted to stare at it dreamily.

"…I will consider it," I nodded with a huge blush on my face.

Oh, did I have some explaining to do… to two humans, one who was presumably one of the ignorant ones… the other being one of my best friends since middle school.


	7. Chapter 7: Night 5 (Part 1)

The phone on the 5th and final night of Mike's time there… We all had wondered if it would sit in silence because, well, we had audibly witnessed the phone guy's cruel withdrawal from the position. Like normal people, we expected there not to be a single sound.

But the phone rang. We all practically froze and looked at each other as it did.

Click. Epic reveal. Corrupted murmurings.

"Wha…" Mike shuddered.

Then, the murmurs were all that filled the air. Could it have been the same animatronic that had killed the phone guy?

Regardless, the night had to go on after the voice hung up.

It was a night. Stars hung lazily over the lonely, desolate building. We could hear the murmurs of traffic from outside. People with places to go, even at this time of the day…

What _happened_, though?

Well, before crap went down, Bonnie decided to show his suave purple face a couple of times. Each time, Mike and Emily caught him, and each time, his attempt at finding me was shut down by a door. A door that took power to use gravity rather than fight it. Nobody gets that…

Both times, I felt my heart get a little heavier as I saw him. His eyes seemed to be filled with hope, as if I was some sort of angel that had some sort of aura. But it wasn't that that sparkled in his eyes. Just the mute light that revealed him. I could almost catch him sigh sadly as the door was closed.

They cared for me. They… _loved _me, in fact. But how could I stay here without being caught as some girl that's been hoarding the resources and should probably see a therapist? Finally… real life actually came into play for once.

At around 2am, the pirate tunes rung in my head. Gosh dangit, Foxy… Why does your music have to be so catchy? I ended up humming it without a second thought… or the conscience that I was doing it…

"Rachael?" said Mike.

"Hm?" I responded.

"What are you humming?" he asked hastily.

"…Alright," I said, almost in a snarl. "Foxy taught me pirate songs during his night of companionship with me. That's one of them, and it's honestly catchy!"

"…That's it," Mike declared. "I have to try my absolute best to make sure that these _things _don't lay their hands on you again. If I fail in that, I'm playing dead, okay?! No more frail guy… I have to hear this for myself. Emily, I suggest you do the same. Rachael, just… say we bullied you and you got really mad at us or something."

"…A-Alright," I nodded.

What was up with him?

"Why?" asked Emily.

I looked, astonished, at her. A go-with-the-flow type girl… she was no longer.

"These guys clearly appreciate her company," Emily claimed. "I'm tired of being knocked out cold, too, but…"

"Well…" said Mike, suddenly blushing. "…That, and… I… need to know so that I can prompt the shutdown of this place!"

"Strange," said Emily. "Strange how things change when you actually experience them. It's fun seeing someone fall in a pit of sharks, but when that someone is you, you're in a panic. You were the one that even let us in on the lore."

"You're the reason we're here, pretty much," I added.

"I know!" Mike said, shuddering. "I… know."

Was this guy in some sort of demented cold sweat? Something seemed to poke up from under the dirt here. Something that lied deeper than what we could see within this situation.

That also became evident when Mike jumped and snapped again around the middle of the third hour. He seemed to be jolted by something… something that I was convinced was a hallucination. This being his last night here would be good for him, the poor sap…

Then, he muttered "You filthy robots… Keep your hands… off of her…"

He was in a cold sweat, much like that leading to insanity. I worried for Emily and myself.

Then, around 4am, he suddenly jerked his head up from the camera and simply yelled "Rachael!"

"What?!" I shouted back. "Wha… why…"

I tapped the light button, seeing that Chica was standing there, patiently… seeming to eye Emily down, actually…

But then, I pressed the door button. It went in and out, much like a button.

But all that came out of it was a quick whir.

I mashed it like I'd mash a button on my 3DS. Nothing.

"Jammed…" Mike squeaked. He then looked at the camera again. "…Emily!"

She pressed the light button. Bonnie again, and with that same hopeful look, his hopes and dreams were shut down for the final time with the slam of a door.

Then, the power went out.

"Alright," said Mike, shockingly calm. "Rachael, now… yell 'Shut up, the both of you!' Emily, follow my lead and cry out in pain before 'falling' to the floor. Alright… go!"

"Shut up, the both of you!" I screamed.

At that, they both gave realistic cries of agony and went down to the ground.

Unlike the Freddy I had known before, he just… walked in through the west door, with that same lantern. Through the other door came Chica, waiting for Freddy's next move.

"Get up, you pathetic excuses for an actor and an actress!" he growled. "You didn't fool anyone."

Reluctantly, I saw as they both stood up. To my dismay, Emily looked more hurt than I had ever seen her. She had always wanted to read over experiment reports rather than scripts, but… still…

"Are you Emily?" asked Chica, pointing to Emily and seeming to try to work out a smile.

"…Yeah…" Emily answered back.

"The famous artist!" Chica squealed, stepping over and shaking her hand.

"Famous?" Emily inquired… excitedly.

"Why, you're almost as famous as Rachael!" said Chica. "Your art is known as the best ever to be drawn. Others simply know you as Rachael's compadre, but I've seen your work! Well done!"

"Thank you!" Emily smiled.

Then, we all looked over to Mike. The rest of us curiously, but Freddy… angrily.

"And you," he snarled. "What good are you? You're just the up and coming night guard who's always had eyes for-"

"Shut up, you!" Mike interrupted.

And the night was suddenly splattered with blood in my mind's eye.


	8. Chapter 8: Night 5 (Part 2)

"Aww crap!" Chica hollered excitedly. "Fight! Fight! Take 'im down!"

"I'd be glad to," Freddy growled happily, cracking his robotic knuckle.

All of a sudden, Mike snapped to attention and came in with something that completely changed the game.

"Fighting is the last thing y-you need to solve this situation!" he panicked. This phrase was a pure defense mechanism. I could tell.

"How about a peaceful debate?" Emily shrugged… as nonchalantly as humanly possible. She didn't have a human and three animatronics fighting over _her_, I guess…

"That appears to be the plan," murmured Chica.

And so, I turned back to the line of competitors. The spotlight stopped on them. The moment was tense.

"You're a leader," said Freddy. "You and I could take charge of these misfits together!"

This resulted in a collective "Hey!"

"You're a dreamer," said Foxy. "These guys… Their minds be stuck to home like glue. I'll take ya places. Make yer life a true experience."

"You're a genius," Bonnie butted in. "The kids… Oh, those dastardly little _brats_… I need you to help me battle their resounding cries for attention!"

My mind made itself so clear that my first decision, which had turned out to turn on a dime, came spewing out of my mouth. The animatronics _cared _for me! They had the potential to be in _love _with me! I felt so great! Like a beautiful living being! Selfish humans… leaving me to sit atop the apple tree… alone… whilst watching the apples on the bottom be fought over. Selfish humans… humans left me in the dust…

"I… believe I want to become the new night guard," I announced timidly. "So that I may stay here and be with-"

"NO!" cried Mike. "P-Please…" He almost appeared to be on that line between tears and no tears. He stared at me sincerely, as if his life depended on my decision. Almost as if he was mentally praying for me to choose the life that he could live with me.

"What's wrong with you?" I asked.

"If you choose to go through with this… the world will be losing a genius," Mike said through quivering breaths. "You'll become one of them. And I… I-I…"

*Mike's POV*

The three male animatronics were so bold as to express their love for her with not only bravery, but gusto.

WHY was it so hard for me to admit the exact same thing?

"I love you!" "I've had this crush on you since last year!" Come ON, words! Spew!

*Rachael's POV*

"You…" I replied. "…Whatever, man. I'm staying here."

At this, my hostility kicked in like a switch in my heart. I belonged here, didn't I?

"These _males _love me!" I snapped. "They care for me, and appreciate me for who I am and who I desire to be, which is also who I am! And what does the human boy say to me? _Nothing_. Not bothering to say a caring word that was meant just for me. Every other girl is so _beautiful_, huh? Yeah, so personality doesn't even matter anymore, I guess. I have to be stupid and rebellious to find love anymore?! That makes me _sick_. Utterly SICK."

I walked over by the group of animatronics. For once in my life, I had said a phrase of truth. And not one bit was left out for hesitation. I was tired of holding back. Therefore, not one twinge of sorrow was any match for my outrage.

"Listen!" Mike said, as desperately as humanly possible. "It doesn't have to be this way! Stop _thinking _that!"

I did have to admit, though… Mike was starting to win my trust back over. The lack of care coming from the general male populous was now sliding from his tongue. And he was staring directly at me while doing so.

Maybe… my conviction was finally being proved false?

* * *

><p><strong>Author's note: This one's all on you, folks! Oh, and Rachael's rant… Consider that a legitimate rant from yours truly. That's how <strong>_**I **_**feel as well…**

**Question for the reader #1: Which of the 4 warriors do you ship me with?**

**Question for the reader #2: Which of ANYONE from Five Nights at Freddy's do you ship **_**yourself **_**with? (A bit out of curiosity, mostly so as not to disappoint anyone by making your truest love fall in love with me) **


	9. Chapter 9: Night 5 (Part 3) and Epilogue

**Author's note: A Long-Winded Mushy Romance Scene Watch has been issue for this chapter. **

* * *

><p>The matter of time was closing in on me. They all stared at me, trying to yank my nonexistent answer straight from my heart.<p>

I looked at the three pairs of robotic eyes… and all of a sudden, I felt myself grimace. Disgusting fear.

The outside world may not have been as imaginative as that little world in my head… but neither world was anything like it was here. The outside world was vibrant, colorful, clean, invigorating, and vast. Here… it was constantly dark. It was an enclosed and rotten space, where the ceiling, millions of meters below the sky, was the limit.

Of course the fox, the bear, and the bunny all meant well for me. But Foxy was the only one who even remotely mentioned taking me out to see the world. He was programmed on a strict schedule, though. If that were ever to happen with me by his side, it'd have to be done completely by my hands. Let's face that.

And… what was this "love" they were all feeling for me? Considering the fact that they were all programmed, something was clearly going wrong. All computers were bound to fall ill with at least one glitch in their lifetimes, much like how humans are bound to get sick once in a while.

This was a glitch. A glitch that would either fix itself or be fixed in time… and then, I'd be left all alone again…

The fear? They'd want me to become one of them, for sure. Mike had informed us carefully of what it was like. Your body, in all of its flexibility, would be mashed up like gumbo within that cramped suit. Whatever was left of your bones would float around in your bodily fluids, and then, your soul would take control and keep you technically "alive." A lot would be limited.

I had dreams. I dreamt to travel and see the world, to become a rich and famous author, and yes, to find love. How would being a freaking animatronic help at all with that?!

Being romantic partners with a robot would completely obliterate the life that I had envisioned.

I looked at Mike and felt myself smile.

…Wait, I only knew that the robots were in love with me. Mike could simply have been looking out for me… which was something quite like that male-to-female interaction that I'd been longing for.

My decision was ever final.

"Mike," I sighed. "…I-I'm sorry. I'm really sorry that I snapped at you like that. I realize that… yeah, you're just looking out for me. I really appreciate it." I blushed and stepped a bit closer.

"Wait, how can you just change your mind like that?!" Chica screeched. "Come on!"

I turned to her and said "It's… something that you programmed _robots _will never understand."

As they all gasped, Chica looking hurt, I turned back to Mike, who was smiling stupidly.

"I choose real life over this… this hellhole," I said surely.

"Thank God," Mike sighed in relief. He looked as if he could fall into a long-winded hug with me.

"Emily," I said, turning around. "What do you want to do?"

"I agree," she nodded. "I don't think I could stay here forever."

Chica sighed.

"BUT," Emily continued with a giggle. "I could be the night guard. It'd be an easy salary."

I almost wanted to punch myself in the face. That would be some plentiful money I'd miss out on.

But also… the sleep. That glitch…

"Emily, I'm not sure if I'd do that if I were you!" I panicked. "This 'affection' they're feeling for us… It has to be a glitch!"

I heard a resounding cry of emotional injury and shock from the animatronics.

"It could fix itself…" I continued to explain. "…And then, they'd be after your head again, wouldn't they?"

"I… guess you're right," Emily nodded. "Never mind. I take that back."

"I don't like this kid," Chica growled, giving me an evil glare.

…We were surrounded. And it was only 5:30am.

Mike feverishly looked around the room, and I followed. A knife? Maybe a gun? Heck, maybe that fan could work?

"…Aha!" Mike cheered, unplugging the fan and spitting on the plug a few times.

"What are you doing?" Emily inquired confusedly.

Mike didn't say a word, but eyed Chica a bit… before tossing the dampened plug into her beak.

Chica suddenly went limp. As a result, she soon fell into the room. Face-down… never to move.

"RUN!" cried Mike.

Emily had hopped over Chica before I was finished checking to see how the other three robots felt about Mike's attack. All of their teeth were bared, and their eyebrows were furrowed.

Before I could take a step, Mike's strong hand took my right hand. To assist me in the life-or-death mission of running. Running was never my forte. Had Mike and I really known each other for that long?

We both hopped over Chica and dashed through the hallways toward the front door. I felt each and every one of my steps gain wind from Mike's.

We burst through the front door, meeting the morning chill. The sun was rising. Friday was upon us.

And Mike still had my hand. He noticed this and quickly took it away, clearing his throat quietly.

"…Well," he said. "…That's IT! I'm sick of this place, and I hope for it to be shut down!" He took off his security guard's hat and threw it with a thousand Newtons of force against the ground.

"I guess so!" Emily chuckled.

"I'm waiting for 6 o'clock to go back in and set _this _on the manager's desk," said Mike, digging through his pockets before coming across a pink slip. He took it out and waved it proudly in front of our faces. A resignation slip.

At that, we quickly walked away, back toward Mike's house.

I left opportunities behind that morning. The moldy and expired ones in the bunch. I never went there again.

(Over a month later)

Every day, in that one class, Mike would spot me walking through the door and jump into a seat next to the one he knew I'd sit at. The rest of the year's seating chart was… pretty much nonexistent.

That is how I knew that for once in forever, a growing friendship would keep growing. I found myself learning more and more about both him and myself. More of that learning was about me because… the feelings… I learned more about those cute little feelings that danced impatiently in my heart, and I realized… my consideration for him as a love was destined.

The 24th of January was a beautifully-starred night that a lot of people were looking forward to: the night of the Winter Formal dance.

Unlike what most would think about myself and Emily? That's exactly what happened.

We stepped foot in the door of the hotel resort at exactly 8 o'clock, amidst a group of other teenage bodies, looking forward to a few hours of potential socializing. This wasn't a date. Not only Emily and I, but numerous others saw the night as a mere opportunity to dance.

For me? Dreams of a slow dance came to mind… A slow dance with something the polar opposite of a patch of air…

Clammy with the grime from a few minutes of vigorous twirls and slides, I walked over to the refreshment table… where the water was nonexistent. The dance would end in about 10 minutes. WOULD I walk out dehydrated?

So I stood, waiting for the pitchers to be refilled. Observing the embrace coming from a couple in front of me. Feeling even lonelier than when I had walked in here…

Then, my ears picked a "Hey!" out of the gumbo of voices in the room. With shock coursing throughout my body, I turned around.

Of all people… _Mike _had dressed up to come to a 3-hour dance. Shirt blue… pants and shoes black… I almost didn't recognize him. He jogged up to me with that smile. I saw practically none of that from the pizzeria, and for that, I was twice as relieved to know that I would never have to step foot in it again.

"Hi!" I cheered. "I never-"

"Would have guessed I'd come to a _dance_? Especially like this?" Mike chuckled. "Well… I heard you and Emily talk about it, and… well… I-I thought it'd… be fun!"

"Is it fun so far?"

"Yeah! I mean, they're actually playing pretty good stuff!"

At that, I heard the glorious sound of pitchers of water being placed on a table.

Within about 20 seconds, Mike and I were sitting at a table littered with glasses.

"You know," Mike said, his face reddening a bit. "You… look really beautiful tonight."

My heart leapt, and my cheeks felt to have the heat of a thousand stars.

"You look great yourself!" I giggled.

"I wonder who they got to be the new night guard."

"Whoever it is has walked themselves into a world of hurt."

"Right?" Mike laughed. "I'd hate to be that guy."

"Oh, yeah!" I said, bursting out in laughter myself.

"Well, whoever it is," said Mike. "I hope they take a stand against that place."

"Yeah," I said, standing up. "…Well, I have to go find Emily. I think I abandoned her. You-"

At that, I was cut off by the very magic in the words that the DJ spoke to everyone.

"Alright," he boomed. "We're gonna slow things down a bit."

Simple words can spark such an event. A slow love song with a country drawl echoed throughout the room. Numerous girls suddenly had their frail little arms tied around the necks of guys who had somehow fallen in love with them.

The music… sparked something within Mike. His eyes seemed to widen a bit more, and the redness on his face wouldn't go away.

"…Actually," he said, standing up as well. "I… kinda… It's cool how they have this slow song here. I really kinda… w-wanted to dance with you."

I had always wanted to teach myself to expect the worst (as in anything but this), for whenever I daydream of that dream moment, life detects that and takes the chance away from me. Finally, someone had broken that law of physics.

I had my crush to owe that to. Who would have guessed?

"W-Well…" I responded. "Sure! But what-"

"Did I mean?" Mike finished the sentence. "Well…"

He gently wrapped his hands around mine, giving them a warm embrace. He then lifted one of them up and twirled me around.

"You know…" he smiled. "Like that."

And so, we danced like that for the song, which was around 3 minutes. The periodic laugh was shared, and it was as sweet as an actual candy heart. Occasionally, we got a bit close to each other, but in all of honesty, that was to be cherished. Every time we glimpsed into each other's eyes, though… my heart almost couldn't take it.

He looked at me much like Foxy, Freddy, and Bonnie all had… but for some reason, it seemed like Mike stared at me sincerely, when the animatronics had just… stared at me…

When I heard the song end, my heart fell. A moment like this was one that I hoped would go on until the end of time itself, not until the end of the song's time.

Luckily for me, I heard that the next song was also slow, and some of it was plucked on a piano. It was a song that would seem to outlaw the absence of some sort of romance in the immediate vicinity.

And that law would be followed more obediently than seemingly possible.

Within a moment, Mike suddenly had his arms wrapped around me. In response, my arms were soon wrapped around his neck.

Therefore, his eyes were constantly in a direct view of mine. Why was he always… staring into them, as if the teal color in them was an illegal drug?

After this, we separated (reluctantly, to tell the truth), and the music was shut off as people started making a line by the coat rack. My coat, I knew, was right on the end, so I could just walk up and take it.

Right near where we had hung our coats, I saw Emily.

"Come on," I said to Mike as I started walking toward Emily. He followed behind me.

As Emily slipped her coat on, she turned around and said "There you- Mike?!"

"Yeah, it's me," he laughed.

"Wow…" Emily said in awe. "I… never expected you to want to dress up at all!"

I piped in "I didn't expect the same thing from _you_, Emily!"

We all laughed as we grabbed our coats.

Out in the mild cold, we stood patiently.

Soon, I looked over and found that Emily was talking to another friend of ours, Alyssa.

I got on my toes and tried to point out any distinction between each pair of headlights in the driveway, but they were only lit-up blocks and ovals in the darkness.

All of a sudden, something seemed to be rushing Mike.

"Rachael?" he said. "This may be a bit strange, I know, but… can we go to the back of the building?"

"Sure," I said, cocking my head a bit.

So I followed him back there. I followed him to the back of the building… which wasn't your stereotypical back of a building. I was expecting it to be dark. I expected the darkness to hold a gang, and possibly a couple looking to make some sweet, sweet love in privacy. But it wasn't even remotely dark. A streetlight shone on the wall. Not every streetlight can be a spotlight… but every streetlight can have dreams.

We stopped by the wall, and I suddenly noticed that our right hands were grasped together again.

"What's back here?" I asked absently.

"Nothing special," said Mike. "I'm… actually surprised that there isn't sweet love being made back here. Anyway… um… I guess what's special is that… there's privacy back here."

I rose an eyebrow. I trusted him and knew that he was too nice to cross a nether line like that, but… privacy could be used in any way imaginable.

"Um…" he continued. "I… Well, our rides aren't here yet, and… I wanted to… get something off my chest. Um…"

"Don't be nervous," I said, putting my free hand on his shoulder. "Go on."

He was a blushing, stuttering idiot. He was a cute idiot.

But whose idiot would he be?

"…Here goes…" he said, taking a deep breath. "…Alright. We're best friends now, right? I want to say that we've been friends since I revealed Freddy Fazbear to you, but I believe we were just… classmates to each other until I got that god-forsaken evil job. I may not have talked to you much before then… and I still slap myself in the face for ignoring a girl that's so intelligent, talented, and… honestly, beautiful. Especially since… Oh, boy… See… Rachael… I-I've… had a crush on you since we were in 8th grade."

I thought he had _hated _me for a period of time in our sophomore year. I hadn't done anything harmful… but I thought chemistry between us wasn't destined.

The tables were flipped the instant he invited me to join him in what should have been _death_.

"And…" I replied, completely astounded. "…You-"

"Mean that?" said Mike. "I haven't meant much of anything more sincerely than this, Rachael. When I told you and Emily that you were the only ones who deserved great boyfriends, I prayed to myself that Emily would maybe take an interest in Jeremy. Remember him? They seem to have a lot in common, and they talk a lot!"

"Yeah," I nodded. "Fitzgerald?"

"Yeah, that guy," Mike said. "…At the same time… I prayed to myself that _your _great boyfriend would be… m-me. It… s-stayed like that since forever, it feels like."

He sighed in despair.

"Now, look what I've done," he distressed, his palm colliding with his face.

"Hey," I said awkwardly, re-establishing my hand's grip on his shoulder. "I… um… I actually…"

Great. Now I was the blushing, stuttering idiot.

"I... Wait, were you asking if we could… like… date?"

"Well… if that's where you wanted to start off," said Mike. "But… I really, _really _like you, so… I was getting ahead of myself and actually thought that maybe… maybe you could be my… girlfriend… to tell the truth. But I can perfectly understand if-"

"That's too fast of a pace?" I giggled. "Come on. We know each other… we're best friends! It's not like you're just this guy who can only stare at me from afar anymore! I'd honestly be glad to be… your girlfriend, to tell you the truth…"

And every ounce of truth in the world went into that response gumbo. The only guy who wanted to talk to me and actually spend time with me by his own free will… was the only guy I needed.

He was MY idiot.

The rest of love's coveted milestones played out like a historical timeline. Not only every single event, but every single moment I spent with him was a moment that no other could match.

It was on a lightly-clouded, sun-painted evening, atop a bench-sprinkled boardwalk which sat atop a sand dune… sitting on a bench that was heavily carved by the hands of lovers before us, looking out as the last of the day's sunlight glittered the lake… when he held me so close that I could hear his heartbeat… and murmured "I love you" in my ear.

A lot of every moment we spent together after that was spent attempting to sum up all of our love for each other. We failed each time.

It was a starry night in late September… our junior year… within a seat on a golden Ferris wheel… that we found ourselves in an embrace that surrounded us with our own love… so much so that we suddenly shared our first kiss.

We will be graduating together before we know it.

_Something _happened back there, and whatever magic was working it, I was suddenly loved. Loved, the feeling I had been reaching for futilely for as long as I could remember. I suddenly knew what I was truly looking for, and it took three robot hearts and a human heart to do that.

I both grimace and reflect whenever we drive past that pizzeria now. Somehow, it's still standing. Maybe someone took initiative and knocked some sense into the animatronics' chips? Maybe an unfortunate girl stole their hearts from me and was now in my former position? Maybe… Maybe someone is just overpowered enough to have lasted all these years without them tearing him or her apart?

That, we can only hope is favorable for the one willing to take a hundred or so dollars to do it every week.

Us? We're good. And somehow… we have that place to thank for it.

* * *

><p><strong>Author's note: Longest chapter of anything in 2015, and either second or third longest EVER! Wow! I seriously hope you all enjoyed this fanfiction! Reviews will be cherished!<strong>

**Shout out to Zombiegirl925: You know who you are! Thank you for the support, friend! :D And yes, I shipped you with Jeremy. The guy from Five Nights at Freddy's 2, I believe. Have fun with that.**


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